Dancing With the Devil 3: A Dangerous Game
by Sun
Summary: The third in my I-Man X-Files crossover (The second one is NC-17 and not posted here). Colonization has begun and Alex is determined to save Maggie, with or without her help.
1. Part 1

_Disclaimer: The Invisible Man and the characters involved therein belongs to The Sci Fi channel. Alex Krycek, Mulder and Scully belongs to Chris Carter and Fox. No copywrite infringment intended. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Maggie Rourke and anyone else you don't recognize belong to me. The The title was borrowed from the song "A Dangerous Game" off the "Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical" soundtrack._

Dancing With the Devil: A Dangerous Game

by Sun

Maggie pushed the shopping cart toward her new shiny black SUV, courtesy of the Agency's new budget. She pressed the button on the remote that unlocked the doors and popped the tailgate. Quickly, she loaded her groceries and shut the door. After pushing the cart over to the cart corral, she climbed inside the SUV and reached for the key to start it up. 

A prickling on the back of her neck made her look up. She recognized green eyes in the mirror before something was brought down on the back of her head and she fell into darkness. 

When she woke, Maggie found herself in the passenger seat covered with a blanket from the back seat. Her head was leaning against the window and she could see the sky was darker. Slowly, she turned her head to see the driver. "Hello, Alex." 

His eyes flickered briefly in her direction. "I was getting worried, _devotchka_. I thought I might have hit you too hard." 

"My head hurts." She closed her eyes and let her forehead rest against the cool glass of the window. After a moment, she leaned forward to open the glove compartment. The car swerved as Alex reached out and put a hand on her arm to stop her. She turned her head to look at him, groaning when the world behind him spun. "I just want to get some Tylenol." She told him and he nodded. She got out the pills and swallowed two of them dry. "Where are we?" 

"Utah." He pulled over and reached up, carefully massaging the back of her neck. 

She moaned softly when he touched the sore spot on the back of her head. "What the hell are we doing in Utah?" 

"They were heading to San Diego to get you, Maddie. I had to find you first." 

"Where are we going?" 

"Montana." He pulled back out onto the road. 

"Taking me to some of your militia buddies?" She asked caustically. Maggie slouched further into her seat and stared dejectedly out the window, wondering how she was going to get out of this one. 

"Sorry about grabbing you like that. I couldn't take the chance that they'd be waiting for you at your place." Alex switched hands back on the wheel. "Maddie, we can't afford to lose you to them." 

She sighed. "I know. I'm too important." 

He noticed a diner coming up and looked over at Maggie. "Hungry?" 

She started to shake her head but her stomach growled and she giggled. "A little." 

"I'm going to stop at that diner up ahead. That okay?" 

That brought a little smile to her face. "Alex, we're in the middle of nowhere Utah. I don't think we have much choice." 

He pulled into the diner parking lot and hopped out of the SUV. She followed, stretching to work the kinks out of her body. The weather was cooler here and Maggie shivered uncomfortably in her jeans and tank top. He came around to her side of the car and draped his jacket over her shoulders before holding a hand out to her. 

"Ready, _devotchka_?" She nodded and let him lead her into the diner. As he walked in front of her he noticed how oddly he was holding his left arm. She wondered if he had hurt it somehow. 

The waitress looked them over as she set down the menus. "Hi there. What can I get y'all?" 

Maggie scanned the menu. "A burger and fries please. And an iced tea." 

Alex set his menu down on top of hers and nodded. "That sounds good." 

"Okay. Two burgers and fries with iced tea. Coming right up." 

"How long is it going to take? The trip, I mean." Maggie looked out the dirty window at the desolate highway. 

Alex shrugged. "Two, maybe three days." 

They fell quiet, neither sure of what to say to the other. Finally Maggie broke the silence. 

"Alexei?" He looked up sharply at his full name. Maggie found it so easy to slip into old habits. "Will you tell me something?" 

"Sure Maddie." 

"I want to know what's happening." The waitress brought their teas and they both leaned back, not realizing they had been unconsciously leaning toward one another. 

Alex leaned across the table and whispered, "Colonization has been set in motion. The Syndicate is coming for you." Maggie bit her lip, scared now. His right hand reached out and touched her face, his green eyes sad. "But I think I have the way to stop them." 

"How Alex? Mulder told me there are groups all over the world trying to stop the aliens but no one had been successful." 

"William told me how." He wanted to say more but the waitress brought their dinners. Maggie grabbed the ketchup and poured some on her burger and more on her fries. 

They ate in companionable silence. Occasionally, Maggie would reach across the table and sneak a fry from Alex's plate and he would swat at her hand playfully. 

"Eat your own fries, _devotchka_. Leave my plate alone." 

Maggie grinned. "What does that mean Alex?" 

"Little girl." 

She popped a fry into her mouth, pouting. "I'm not a little girl." 

He raised an eyebrow, as he looked her over. "Maddie, you look eighteen, tops." She was wearing a black tank top that had the Playboy bunny emblem silk-screened in silver on the front over blue velvet jeans and platform sandals. Her flaming hair was pulled into two short bouncy pigtails that curled wildly. 

"Okay, maybe. But I'm not." 

His eyes smoldered a green fire as he stared at her. "I know." 

"Can I get you two anything else?" The waitress appeared at their table. 

Alex shook his head. "Do you have a rest room?" 

She pointed to the far end of the counter. "Sure thing, sugar. It's back there. Gentlemen on the left, ladies on the right." 

"Thanks." Alex looked at Maggie before he got up. "Don't go anywhere." 

She shook her head and smiled wryly. "Couldn't even if I wanted to." 

When Alex came back from the bathroom, Maggie was gone. He paid the bill and asked about a motel before stepping outside. He found her sitting on the hood of her car, looking out over the sunset. 

"Its pretty." She commented as he approached. "We don't have anything like this in San Diego." 

"I know. There's not much like this in DC either." He awkwardly climbed up onto the hood next to her. "Doris, the waitress, said there was a motel in the next town. Up about fifteen miles." 

Maggie smiled. "Her name was Doris? I should have guessed. So we're gonna stay here?" 

"As good a place as any. We're about half way there." He slid off the hood and held out a hand to help her off. She slid down into his arms but instead of letting go, he held on. His hand came up to trace her lips before he bent his head to kiss her softly. 

"I missed you, _devotchka_." Alex whispered when he lifted his head. 

Maggie watched him with wide eyes. "Why did you come back Alex?" 

He gritted his teeth and turned away. "I had to." Turning away walked around to the driver's side of the car. They got back into the SUV and headed down the road. Soon they came to a small town. There was a grocery store, two bars, another small diner and the motel. 

Maggie looked over at Alex. "This qualifies as a town?" 

"I guess so." He pulled the car into a spot outside the motel and got out. Maggie followed him into the office. 

The man behind the counter looked up when they came in. Alex took Maggie's hand and pulled her over to him. "Hi there. My wife and I need a room for the night." 

"Sure thing." He got up and grabbed a key off the board. "It'll be $40 for the night. Cash." Alex nodded and reached for his wallet. "Will you folks be needing the phone turned on?" 

"No," Alex said at the same time Maggie said, "Yes." They turned and looked at each other. 

"Honey, we told your mother we'd call when we got to Salt Lake. Remember?" Alex smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Maggie gave him a sugary smile and nodded. He turned back to the man behind the counter. "Don't worry about the phone." 

Maggie watched as Alex signed the register. The clerk gave him the key and pointed out where the room was. Alex nodded thanks and steered Maggie out of the office. 

"Jake and Maddie Malone?" She asked once they were outside. 

Alex shrugged and let her into the room. "What, you expect me to leave a trail for them to trace?" 

Maggie flopped onto the bed furthest from the door with a sigh. Alex locked the door and checked the window before following suit on the other bed. 

"We'll stop in Salt Lake City tomorrow to get some warmer clothes for you." 

"Goody." She muttered before rolling over so her back was to him. 

Something was making her shake. She muttered a curse and rolled over, burying her head in the pillow. 

"Come on, your highness. We've got to go." The soft voice called her out of sleep. 

She shook her head. "No. G'way. Sleep now." She waved a hand behind her, trying to push away the distraction. 

The shaking grew stronger and the blankets were pulled away. "Get up, Maddie. Now." 

She turned her head and opened one eye. Alex was standing at the bedside, his arms crossed, an unhappy look on his face. "What time is it?" 

"6 AM. You have time to grab a shower while I get breakfast." He shrugged on his jacket and pocketed both the room key and the car keys. "I'll be back in a little bit. Don't open the door for anyone. I'll let myself in." He told her before closing the door. 

"Yes, Dad." Maggie sneered before crawling out of bed. She stretched as she headed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. 

Maggie was in a considerably better mood when Alex let himself back into their room. "Where's breakfast?" She asked when she saw his empty hands. 

"In the car. You ready?" He held out his jacket to her. "It's chilly out this morning." 

Maggie slipped it on and nodded. "Yeah." She followed him outside and climbed into the passenger side of the SUV. Two cups of coffee were waiting in the cup holders and she found a box of fresh doughnuts on the center console. 

Alex got into the SUV a few minutes later. "We're all set. On to Salt Lake." He started the car and looked at her for a moment. 

"What?" She turned away and grabbed a doughnut. "Stop looking at me." 

"I like to look at you _devotchka_." He grinned and backed the vehicle out of the spot. Another moment and they were on the road, heading north. 

Barrenness stretched out for miles on either side of the road. Only a handful of cars passed them going in the other direction, serving only to emphasize how alone they were on the road. 

"I never realized how empty this part of the country is." Maggie remarked after a few hours. 

"Hope we don't get a flat or something. There's no help around for miles. Bet a cell phone wouldn't work out here either." Alex checked the rear view mirror before smiling at her. 

Maggie glanced over her shoulder to see what he was looking at but there was nothing behind them. She looked back at him and noticed his left arm again. "Alex, did you hurt your arm?" 

He looked at her sharply. "No." 

"Then why do you hold it like that?" 

He pulled the SUV over to the side of the road and turned it off. Slowly, he pulled the heavy sweater over his head with his right hand. Underneath was a long sleeved shirt that he also stripped off. 

Maggie gasped when she saw his prosthetic arm. Alex wasn't done, though. He pulled off the white t-shirt and undid the straps of the false arm, revealing the scarred remains of his left arm. 

"Alex, what happened?" She reached out and touched the scar tissue, her fingertips barely brushing his arm. 

He grabbed her hand, stilling the movement. "Tunguska." 

"What's that?" 

"It's a place in Siberia. Mulder took me there to translate for him. I got caught by some insane villagers." He released her and reattached the prosthesis. With the same practiced but awkward movements he dressed and turned back around. "It was bad." 

"Yeah. I would think so." She spoke softly as he started the car and pulled back out onto the road. She shivered at the thought of losing one of her arms and wrapped her arms around herself. The image followed her as she fell asleep. 

"Maddie, we're here." Alex reached out and touched Maggie's arm. Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright before looking around and relaxing. "Easy." 

"Salt Lake City?" 

"Crossroads Plaza. We're going to get you some clothes before we head north." 

She got out of the car and followed him into the mall. He led her through several stores picking out jeans, sweaters and snow gear. Maggie was amazed at the way he spent money on her, the cash seemed to be never-ending. Finally, they stopped in the food court to eat. 

"I'm just going to run to the bathroom before we go." Maggie told Alex before handing him all the bags. She dashed through the people to the small hallway leading to the restrooms. The ladies room was around a corner, out of sight from the main part of the mall. 

"Lady luck smiles on me again." Maggie muttered when she saw the payphone on the wall next to the restroom. She picked up the receiver and quickly dialed her calling card number and Darien's cell phone. 

"Hello?" Darien answered on the second ring. His voice was high and anxious. She could tell he hadn't sleeping well. 

"Dary? It's Maggie." 

"Princess? Where are you? What happened?" 

She sighed and leaned against the wall. "I'm in Salt Lake City. Alex kidnapped me again." 

"Where are you now?" 

"In a mall. He thinks I went to the bathroom. Listen, tell Claire I'm still wearing my tags. She'll be able-" Something hard pressed into her side and she froze. 

"Hang up the phone Maddie." Alex whispered into her ear. 

"Maggie? What's going on? Maggie, where are you?" Darien called her from the other end of the phone. She was still frozen, unable to move or speak. The hardness disappeared and Alex reached around her to hung up the phone, Darien still calling to her. 

"That wasn't very smart, _devotchka_." He turned her around to look at him. He gestured to the bags behind him. "Pick up the bags. We're going." She opened her mouth to speak but he shook his head. "Don't say anything. Just pick up the bags and walk." 

She walked around him and picked up the shopping bags and started back up the hallway. Alex stayed right beside her, his hand on her arm the whole way back to the car. 

"Alex, I just wanted to-" Maggie began but Alex cut her off. 

"Did you even fucking think about the fact that they probably tapped Fawkes' phone? You might have just let the aliens know where we are." He growled at her. He opened the back so she could put the bags in the SUV before opening her door. "Get in." 

Maggie climbed into the car and buckled her seat belt. He slammed the door shut and stalked around to the driver's side and got in. She turned to him when he got in. 

"Alex, I'm sorry." 

He ignored her, starting the car. She bit her lip, unsure of what he was going to do. Every time she opened her mouth to speak, he glared at her, effectively keeping her quiet. 

The road in front of them cleared out the further away from Salt Lake City they got. Soon, they were alone on the highway again. Maggie leaned her head against the glass, watching the nothingness rush past them. She felt something wet drip down her face and quickly wiped away the tears. 

Alex watched Maggie try to sniffle and dry her eyes without him noticing. He thought about his cell phone, tucked away in the inner pocket of his jacket, debating whether to let her call the Agency. Shaking his head, he turned his concentration back to the road in front of them. 

Night had fallen when they stopped at a grocery store in a small town where Alex bought supplies. 

"There aren't any stores from here on out." He explained as they loaded the car with groceries. 

"Is it much further?" Maggie looked around them. The snow was coming down steadily. 

"An hour or two, depending on how the roads are. Get in, _milaya_. It's too cold to stand around out here." Alex got into the SUV and Maggie followed. He headed out of town and started up the mountain. True to his word, two hours later he pulled into a rough driveway. 

"Here we are." He stopped the car and got out. The wind was considerably sharper up here and he pulled his leather jacket tighter around himself. The light snow that had started a while back was now coming down steadily. 

Maggie climbed out a little slower, taking in the amazing view and the good-sized cabin sitting back under the fir trees. "What is this place?" 

"Just somewhere I come to get away. Hopefully, they don't know about it and you'll be safe at least for a little while." He held out his hand to her. "Come on. Let's get you inside and warmed up." 

Almost reluctantly, she slipped her hand into his. He led her up the three steps onto the wide porch to the front door. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. She started to walk through but he stopped her and drew his gun. Alex entered the cabin, sweeping the area with his gun, checking for anything out of place. After a moment, he waved her inside and shut the door behind her. 

Alex went to the fireplace and began to build a fire. After admiring his one-handed fire building technique, Maggie wandered around the open section of the cabin. It was a large open room that ran along the whole front of the house. The kitchen was on one end, separated from the living room by a breakfast island, and the fireplace was on the other. There were three doors on the wall opposite the front. 

"Once that gets going, you should warm up." Alex stood up and shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on a coat rack on the back of the door. 

Maggie started to do the same when she remembered the groceries. "The food." 

Alex waved her off and put his jacket back on. " I'll get them. Go on. Look around." 

She nodded and hung up her jacket. She opened the door closest to the kitchen and discovered a large pantry. The next door led to a surprisingly large and plush bathroom. There was a large bathtub and a separate shower enclosed in a glass brick wall. She closed the bathroom door and opened the last one. 

This room was the bedroom. The furniture was mission style in light oak. A king sized bed was in the middle of one wall. The wall across from the bed had a fireplace set into it. A dresser and armoire sat against the third wall and vast windows that looked out into the snow covered forest made up the last one. 

"Its beautiful." She breathed, leaning against the cold glass. 

"Thank you." 

She whirled around and found Alex standing the doorway. "I didn't hear you come in." 

"Food's in the kitchen. I brought your stuff in here." He pointed to a pile of shopping bags in the corner. 

"Thanks." She looked at the floor for a moment. "Will you tell me how we're going to stop the aliens now?" 

"William has been watching you, making sure you're safe. He knows about your new talent." 

Maggie sighed. "What new talent?" 

"You can slip into people's minds." 

"How does he know?" 

Alex smirked. "Same way he knows everything Maddie. You can stop them with this. Go into their minds, shut them down." 

Maggie laughed humorlessly. "I love how your Syndicate automatically assumes I can do whatever they need me to do. I've only been able to do this a few months. I haven't even tested my limits with it. I don't even know if I can do what you're asking." 

"This isn't the Syndicate asking. This is me asking. William, the rebels. And everyone on this planet whether they know it or not." He walked over to her at the window. "The Syndicate is hunting you _milaya_. They want to destroy you." 

"Have you ever had someone in your mind, Alex? Do you know what it feels like?" Maggie changed subjects abruptly. He shook his head and took a step back. She stalked toward him, reaching out with her hand. 

"Maddie?" 

"Just don't struggle. That's what makes it hurt." Her hand connected with his temple and she slipped into his mind easily. Alex's mind was a jumble of images and feelings. Maggie touched a few of the happier images, bringing them to the front. 

The first was of a pre-teen Alex with a girl about the same age. She had dark hair and green eyes like his own. He carried her on his back as a puppy chased after them. Maggie smiled as Alex spun her around until they were both dizzy and falling down in the field. 

When that image faded, Maggie touched another. This time the image was of herself. Her hair was shorter than she wore it now, vibrant red against the gray T-shirt she was wearing. She walked down the street with Hobbes, Darien and Claire, laughing. 

As gently as she slipped in, Maggie pulled away from Alex's mind. Her knees gave way and she sat down on the bed. Alex watched her with wide eyes. "Was that your sister? The girl?" 

He nodded. "Yeah, Anastasia. And our dog, Nicholas." 

"What about the second one? The one of me." 

"That was the first time I saw you in person." He reached out and brushed her hair back. "I couldn't believe how young you were." 

"I thought the same thing about you when we first met." She stepped away from him. "Is it okay if I take a shower? I'm feeling kinda rank after that trip." 

"Sure. Give the boiler about ten minutes to get some hot water going. I'll make dinner while you're washing up." He left her with the packages and went back into the main room. Maggie dug through the bags until she found underwear and some warm clothes. 

She walked through the connecting door into the bathroom, closing and locking it behind her. She locked the door leading to the main room and set her items down on the countertop. A quick check of the shower stall revealed shampoo, conditioner and soap. In the linen closet, she found fluffy towels. After giving one a quick shake to release any dust, she set it on the closed toilet lid. Reaching in, she turned on the shower, making the water as hot as she could stand. Quickly, Maggie shed her clothing and stepped into the stream of water with a sigh. 

She had just finished rinsing the conditioner from her hair when the water began to cool. She quickly turned off the faucet and reached out for the towel. The bathroom had steamed up and was nicely warm as she dried off and dressed in her new clothes. 

A knock on the door made her look up. "Maddie?" 

She walked to the door and unlocked it, opening it a crack. "Yeah?" 

"Here. I thought you might need this stuff." Alex thrust a plastic bag at her. 

"Thanks." She closed the door again and peered into the bag. Inside was a toothbrush, hairbrush and other toiletries she might need. Happily, she brushed her teeth and hair before stowing everything else in the bedroom and going out into the main room. 

"Feel better?" Alex was in the kitchen, stirring something. 

She nodded happily and took a seat at the breakfast island. "What's for dinner?" 

"Spaghetti." 

"In case I don't get to say it later Alex, thank you for everything." Maggie played with the napkin in front of her. 

He set a plate of food in front of her and sat down across the island. "You're welcome, Maddie." 

After dinner, Maggie washed the dishes as Alex dried and put them away. She couldn't stop yawning and finally Alex laughed. 

"Maddie, you'd better go to bed before you fall asleep on your feet." He gently took the dish she was holding and pushed her toward the bedroom. "I'll be out here if you need anything during the night." 

"Are you sure? I can finish the dishes." She protested but he shook his head. 

"Go on. If you get cold, there are extra blankets on a shelf in the closet." 

"Okay. Good night, Alex." She leaned over and kissed him quickly on the cheek. "I'll see you in the morning." 

"Night, _milaya_." 

Alex tossed and turned on the couch. His watch read one a.m. With a groan, he got to his feet, rubbing his arm. He hated that he needed to wear the prosthesis and normally took it off when he slept. But this night, he left the hated thing on in case they were attacked during the night. Quietly, he opened the bedroom door. Maggie was sprawled on the bed, fast asleep. A soft noise escaped her and she rolled onto her side. He smiled and turned to go back into the living room when louder noise made him turn back to her. 

Maggie's cries were getting louder and she moved on the bed like she was trying to escape something. He moved to her bedside and sat next to her, touching her shoulder. 

"Maddie?" She pulled away from him and he shook her gently. "Maddie, wake up, _milaya_." 

She cried out wordlessly and shot up in bed. Alex immediately put his arms around her, pulling her against him. 

"Shh, _devotchka_." 

"Alex?" 

"You had a dream? A nightmare?" He brushed her hair back. 

She nodded. "We were running through the woods. There were men chasing us. But some of them weren't really men." 

"What happened?" 

"I don't know. I woke up." She let him hold her, her head on his chest. 

"Its okay, _devotchka_. It was just a dream." 

Maggie shook her head. "Not this one. They're getting closer." 

"Come on." He carefully scooped her up, blankets and all, and carried her into the living room, letting his right arm do most of the work. He set her gently on the couch and removed his prosthesis before pulling her back against him. Gently, he stroked her back as she clung to his shirt, crying softly. _"Nu, nu, ne veshay nos devotchka._ There now, take it easy little one. We're going to beat them." 

"I'm scared Alexei." She whispered so softly he almost didn't hear her. 

"Sleep tonight Maddie. We'll worry about them tomorrow. Tonight, you sleep, no more dreams." He settled into the corner of the couch with Maggie curled up against him. Soon, they were both fast asleep and there were no more dreams that night. 

Maggie spent the next morning looking over the maps of the area Alex had brought with him. She studied the landscape trying to find a way to escape the aliens when they arrived. "I just don't see it Alex. There's no way off this mountain without heading back down the road we came up. Where are we going to go?" 

"West. About five miles from here is a decent path. It'll take us up to the top of the mountain." Alex was cleaning up the breakfast dishes. 

Maggie bit her lip, unsure about his plan. "So we're running again? I thought you had a way to stop them." 

"I do." He came over to the map and pointed out the route to her. "Once we get to the top of the mountain, you're going to do that mind thing and wipe them out." 

"You have such faith in me, Alex." Maggie remarked sarcastically. 

"I have to Maddie. You're the only weapon we left." Alex brushed his hand over her cheek and went back to the dishes. 

After lunch, Maggie stood at the window watching the storm outside. She turned from the window and looked at Alex. He was sprawled over the couch, reading a book. "We could have asked for help you know." 

He looked at her over the top of the book. "Help? From who?" 

"From who? Darien, Bobby, Claire, Mulder, Scully. Even The Official probably would have helped if I had asked." 

Alex sat up and set his book down, shaking his head. "Too many people. You're really the only one who can do anything." 

"Please, Alex. Let me call Darien. He'll bring Hobbes and Claire. It'll just be the five of us and we'll stop this." She pleaded with him. There was no way they could stop this alone. 

They sat staring at each other until finally, Alex shook his head. "I can't. I can't take the chance that the aliens will find us before they get here." 

He watched the anger build in Maggie's eyes. The fire in the fireplace jumped in echo and some books flew off the shelf. In the kitchen, he could hear the cupboard doors rattling. 

"How dare you?" She jumped to her feet. He shrugged and picked up the book he'd been reading. The book was snatched out of his hand and flew into the fire, which leaped in response to the fresh fuel. "You're so fucking arrogant. Do you really think we stand a chance? Cause I don't. I think you dragged me up here so I could die." Something crashed in the kitchen and Alex flinched. "That's what's going to happen Alex. I am going to die, whether we stop the aliens or not, I am going to die. So fuck you, Alex. I'm not ready to die yet." She grabbed her parka as the door swung open. Throwing one last angry glare over her shoulder, Maggie headed out into the winter storm. The door slammed shut behind her, the windowpanes rattling in response. 

Alex got up from the couch and went to the window. Maggie was visible for only a few minutes before she disappeared into the swirling snow. He pulled on his jacket and went out into the storm after her. 

"Maddie!" His cries were swallowed by the howling wind. From the porch, he could see only swirling white. As he scanned the woods, one patch of white looked thicker than the others. He stepped off the porch and headed toward the whiter patch. He approached the whiter spot, just making out a huddled figure inside. 

"Maddie, come out before you freeze to death." He called into the swirl. She looked up and saw the shadow standing on the other side of her snow wall. "Don't make me carry you back in." He said jokingly. 

"Try it." Maggie appeared as the wall fell away and Alex found himself launched into the air. He landed in a snowdrift and was stunned for a moment. "Leave me alone Alex." She turned away from him and started into the trees but noises from the road made both of them freeze. She turned and looked at him, terror in her eyes. 

"Maddie, get over here." Alex's voice was low and dangerous. Maggie quickly crossed the driveway and ducked down next to him. "Can you do that snow thing again?" 

She nodded and built a snow wall around them. They watched a black SVU pull into the rough driveway. Alex reached into his jacket and drew his gun, waiting to see who would get out. 

"Is it them, Alexei?" Maggie whispered to him. 

He shook his head. "I don't know, _milaya_." They watched as Darien and Hobbes emerged from the front of the van, stretching and looking around. 

"Darien." Maggie breathed as she saw her partners exit the vehicle. She tried to run to them but Alex stopped her. 

"Wait." He told her. The rear doors opened and three more people emerged. 

"Are you sure they're here Claire?" The tall dark hair man asked. His hazel eyes scanned the brightly lit cabin. "This could be a trap." 

"I told them the same thing Mulder, but no one listens to paranoid ol' Bobby Hobbes." Hobbes spoke up. 

Maggie looked at Alex excitedly. "That's got to be them. Only Bobby talks like that." 

Alex looked down at her. "Maddie, promise me something." 

"What?" 

"When I tell you we have to move, you come with me. No matter what." He cupped her face in his hand. 

She nodded. "I promise." 

"Alright, let's get this over with. I'm sure Fawkes and Mulder want a go at me." He grinned warily. Maggie dropped the snow wall and ran for Darien. 

"Dary!" 

Darien turned and scooped Maggie up in a bear hug, kissing her. "God, I thought you were gone again." 

"I don't disappear that easily." She sank into his embrace, savoring his warmth and strength. "I can't believe you found me." 

"To be honest, Maggie, neither can we. I wasn't sure the tracer would work this far away." Claire told her. 

"After you called Darien, we called Dana and Mulder for help." 

Maggie turned to Mulder for a hug. He embraced her tightly before turning her over to Scully and Claire so they could fuss over her some more. Alex watched in envy as Maggie greeted her friends with an easy smile. 

Hobbes, like Alex, watched the scene from a slight distance. When the two doctors were done scolding Maggie, she crossed over to the side of the SUV where Hobbes was leaning. 

"Be civil to him Bobby. He's trying to save my life." She asked him in a soft voice. 

He looked over her shoulder at the dark man now standing on the porch and shrugged. "I'll try. But if he does anything that gets you hurt Kitten, I'll make a suit out of his skin and wear it to his funeral." 

"Thank you, Bobby. That was really gross." She hugged him, laughing. 

"That's just his way of showing he cares, Princess," Darien said. "Now can we go inside? I'm freezing." 

"Yeah. Come on." Maggie led them inside. Alex was already at the fireplace stoking up the fire to warm up the room. 

Darien took off his jacket and hung it on the rack by the others before wrapping his arms around Maggie and holding her close to him. She stood in his arms as tears streamed down her face. 

"It's started." She whispered to him. 

"We're not going to let anything happen to you." Darien rubbed her back as she cried. "Shh, shh Princess. It's okay." 

A shout and a sudden thud made both of them look up. Alex was on the floor by the fireplace, holding his jaw. Hobbes stood over him, rubbing his knuckles. 

"Feel better?" Alex asked caustically. 

Hobbes shook his head. "No. But I promised Mags I wouldn't beat you to a pulp. Yet." 

Mulder chuckled and went back to looking through the kitchen cabinets. He stepped on a piece of the broken dishes and looked down, noticing the mess on the floor. "What happened here?" 

Maggie sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I got angry." 

He raised an eyebrow. "Remind me not to piss you off." 

She pulled away from Darien, embarrassed. "I should clean it up." 

Alex got up from the floor and waved her back to Darien. "I've got it Maddie." 

Maggie nodded and pulled Darien over to the couch. Claire, Hobbes and Scully were already sitting around the room, getting warm. She curled up next to him on the couch, his arm around her. 

"Good thing you always wear your tags." Darien muttered, rubbing the chain of Maggie's tags. "I got scared when you got cut off on the phone." She nodded, tucking her head under his chin. 

Claire leaned forward. "How are you feeling Maggie?" 

"Okay I guess. Tired. I've been having some bad dreams." 

Claire nodded. "I'd like to look you over, just to be sure." 

Maggie shrugged and followed her into the bedroom. When they were gone, Darien and Hobbes stood up, advancing on Alex. 

"Why don't we go have a talk, Krycek?" Hobbes suggested. 


	2. Part 2

_Disclaimer: The Invisible Man and the characters involved therein belongs to The Sci Fi channel. Alex Krycek, Mulder and Scully belongs to Chris Carter and Fox. No copywrite infringment intended. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Maggie Rourke and anyone else you don't recognize belong to me. The title was borrowed from the song "A Dangerous Game" off the "Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical" soundtrack._

Dancing With the Devil: A Dangerous Game

by Sun

Hobbes gestured toward the front porch. Alex, sensing he really had no choice, grabbed his jacket and stepped outside. Hobbes, Darien and Mulder followed him. 

"Don't let Maggie out here, 'kay Scully?" Mulder asked. Rolling her eyes, she nodded and he closed the door behind him. 

Outside the storm had lessened to a light flurry. Alex leaned against the porch rail, bracing to be hit again. 

"Is there a reason why you felt the need to drag Maggie into the mountains of Montana?" Hobbes was remarkably calm. Darien paced behind him, clenching his fist in barely controlled fury. 

"Did the smoking bastard send you to find her?" Mulder jumped in. 

The three men had him cornered against the support post. Alex watched each man carefully before he turned and looked at his adversary. "No. I haven't worked for him in years Mulder. You know that." Then he turned to Hobbes. "Maddie's in danger. Colonization has been set in motion and the Syndicate's been searching for her." 

Darien leapt forward and punched Alex. "Her name is Maggie, you psycho." 

Alex's head snapped to the side with the force of Darien's blow. He looked back at Darien, ignoring the pain of being hit twice in the face. "I thought she would be safe here." 

Darien reached for Alex again but Mulder stopped him. Hobbes leaned in very close to Alex and whispered something in his ear. There was no reaction from Alex as Hobbes motioned to the others and headed back inside. 

"What'd you say to him?" Mulder asked when they were back inside. 

Hobbes shrugged. "I just mentioned that if he did anything to get Maggie hurt, I knew some people who would make loosing that arm seem like a walk in the park." 

"Right. Cool." 

Alex stayed a conspicuous distance from Maggie the rest of the day. He explained what was happening and his plan, showing them the route on the map. Maggie and Darien hunted around in the supplies and made dinner for everyone. 

"I hope everyone brought sleeping bags. There's not too many beds in this place." Alex told them after they'd cleaned up from dinner. 

"Yeah. We did actually." Mulder told him. "They're out in the car." 

Alex laughed harshly. "Aren't you the regular boy scout?" 

"I'm going to bed." Maggie announced and stood up. The tension building in the room was making her skin crawl. 

Darien stood up with her. "I'll come with you." She nodded and headed for the bedroom. 

Darien watched as she carefully closed the door behind them before changing into flannel pajamas. 

"Princess, are you alright?" 

"No." She dropped onto the bed. He stretched out next to her and she curled on her side. He dropped an arm around her for comfort. "I'm going to die Dary." 

"We're all going to die Princess." 

She shook her head. "Not tomorrow." 

"Did he hurt you Mags?" Darien brushed her hair away from her forehead. She shook her head again and turned so she faced him. 

"I'm having dreams that aren't mine. And dreams that are and I don't know which one I'm more scared of." She buried her head in his chest. Darien didn't know what to say. He wrapped his arms around Maggie, holding her close as her tears wet the front of his t-shirt. 

Everyone bolted awake when the screaming began and they ran for the bedroom. Inside, they found Darien trying to restrain a screaming Maggie. She was yelling something in a foreign language, pushing Darien away as she yelled. 

Alex pushed Hobbes and Scully out of his way and ran to the bed. He started speaking to Maggie in the same language. After what seemed to be an eternity, Maggie quieted and sagged into Darien's arms. 

"Wake up, Maddie." Alex called to her. Her emerald green eyes opened and focused on him. She looked past him and saw everyone standing in the doorway. "When the hell did you learn to speak Russian?" 

"Russian?" She rubbed her eyes. 

"Yeah. You were shouting in Russian." 

"I was in Russia. There were these dirty men. They had a huge knife." Maggie looked into his dark eyes. "God, you were awake the whole time." 

Alex looked stricken as Maggie described the ordeal he'd gone through in Tunguska. "_Devotchka_, how do you know that?" 

"I, I don't know." She looked past him to Claire who was standing in the doorway. "Why is this happening again, Claire?" 

"Did you touch his mind?" Claire remembered what triggered the dreams the first time it happened. 

She nodded. "I had to show him." 

"It'll pass." Claire assured Maggie. "They faded last time." 

Darien held Maggie's hand as she collapsed back against him in exhaustion. "You guys go back to bed. I'll stay up with her." 

Claire nodded and ushered everyone out the door. Alex was reluctant to go, looking back over his shoulder at the couple on the bed. "Come on Alex. There's nothing you can do to help." 

Maggie had dark bags under her eyes when she and Darien emerged from the bedroom the next morning. Without speaking, she headed for the coffee pot and poured herself a mug. She turned and went to the fridge for the milk. Darien followed her as she wandered around the kitchen in a zombie-like state. 

"Morning, Maggie." Mulder called from the living room. He and Scully were sitting on the loveseat, drinking their morning coffee, his arm around her shoulders. 

Maggie grunted hello at Mulder. She shuffled over to the couch and curled up in one corner with her coffee. Darien slumped down next to her. 

"Where is everyone?" She asked after a few sips of coffee. 

"Krycek went out to get more wood, Hobbes went to scout around the area and Claire is in the shower." Mulder told her. "How have you been, Maggie?" 

She smiled. "Good. I've been developing my powers and taking some classes at UC San Diego." 

"What kinds of classes?" Scully asked. 

"Everything. I'm working on my bachelors of science. Darien was thinking about coming back to school, too." Maggie said shyly, glancing at Darien. 

"Maybe. Depends on what the fat man says." Darien threw an arm around Maggie, resting it on the back of the couch. 

"Its what you wanted to do, right?" Mulder remember their first conversation in the hotel bar a few years ago. Maggie nodded. "That great." 

That day was a boredom-induced haze for most of the occupants of the cabin. Alex and Hobbes chopped wood for the fire. Claire and Scully read some scientific journals Claire had brought with her. Maggie wandered around the cabin aimlessly, unable to settle in one place for very long. She felt uneasy and claustrophobic. Finally, she tossed on her parka and went out onto the porch. 

Snow was falling in big fat flakes. They stuck to her hair and eyelashes as she tipped her head up to the sky. In the distance she could hear the sound of chopping wood but otherwise the world around her was completely silent and still. 

Maggie didn't know how long she had been sitting outside when the door opened behind her. She heard steps on the porch before a white coffee mug appeared before her. She looked up at the person holding it. 

"You've been out here for almost two hours. I thought you might want something hot to drink." Darien offered her the mug, which Maggie accepted gratefully. 

"Thanks thief." She gestured to the step she was sitting on. "Have a seat." 

"Damn, it's cold out here." He huddled into his snow parka. 

She grinned and sipped the coffee. "I didn't notice." 

"Feeling claustrophobic?" He reached out and scooped up some snow, trying to pack it into a snowball. 

"Yeah. I just feel restless. Its this waiting for something to happen." 

He let the snow fall from his fingers. "I know how you feel. Krycek keeps telling us they're coming but there's no sign of them. I just want to get you back home." 

"I miss home too. At least its warm there." She sipped her coffee and looked out at the gray landscape before them. "Darien, do you think we have a chance?" 

He looked up at the sky. "I think we do, Princess. You've got an incredible talent that's gonna kick some alien butt all the way back to wherever they came from." 

Maggie laughed for the first time in days. "Okay, Dary. Its nice to know someone has faith in my abilities." 

"Come on inside. It's cold out here." He stood up and tugged on her hand. 

She smiled and shook her head. "I want to stay out a little longer. Stay with me. Or are you too cold?" 

He settled back down on the step. "I'm cold. But I might be able to do something to do to keep us warm." His fingers dipped under the collar of her parka, brushing along her neck. 

"Really?" She pulled off her gloves and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Mmm hmm." His tongue touched the sensitive spot behind her ear as he unzipped her parka. She arched against his mouth as he sucked hard, breaking capillaries, marking her. 

"Feeling possessive?" She purred as he raised his head. He grinned and she kissed him, hard and open mouthed. She tasted his mouth, her tongue entwining with his. 

Darien his hand slipped inside her open jacket. Maggie wore a heavy sweater over two lighter shirts but he reached under the layers of material to touch her skin. 

A cough from the doorway made them look up. Claire was standing in the doorway; her arm crossed one eyebrow raised. "There's food if you're hungry." 

Maggie blushed an honest to goodness redhead blush, bright red from the top of her head down her neck. She adjusted her clothes and stood up, pulling Darien up with her. They followed Claire into the cabin to eat. 

Darien closed the bedroom door softly and joined the group around the coffee table. Hobbes looked up as he sat down. 

"She still out?" 

"Yeah. Like a light. Hopefully, she'll stay that way tonight." Maggie had been the first one to go to bed. Darien had already been in to check on her twice. 

Alex started to speak when his cell phone rang, causing everyone to jump. He answered it quickly, stepping away from the group. After a moment, he hung up and turned back, grim faced. "It's time. They're heading up here as we speak." 

"How long to we have?" Hobbes pulled out his gun, checking the clip. 

"Half hour, maybe a little more, probably less. I'm gonna wake up Maddie." He opened the door to the bedroom. Maggie was curled on her side on the bed. Alex hated to have to wake her but they had to move. 

"Maddie, wake up." He shook her awake, pulling her upright. "We've got to go." He grabbed a nearby sweater and pulled it over her head. 

She looked at him with fuzzy eyes when her head emerged from the sweater. "What's going on?" 

"They're coming." His words spurned her into action and she pulled on the jeans and snow pants he brought for her. He helped her into her socks and boots before handing her a gun. "It might not do any good but I'll feel better if you have it." 

Everyone else was waiting in the living room, dressing for the cold and preparing for their impending visitors. Darien grabbed Maggie's hand and pulled her to him. 

"He promised to protect you." With that he kissed her fiercely, holding her head in both hands. His fingers wound themselves in her hair, holding her to him. "Come back to me, Princess." 

"I will Thief. I love you, Darien." They stood forehead to forehead. "More than anything." 

"I love you too, Maggie." 

"I don't want to break up this touching scene, but we have to go now Maddie. I don't know how much time we have left before they get here." Alex spoke up softly. 

"Okay." She kissed Darien one last time before following Alex out the kitchen door, waving at everyone as the door shut. 

Alex pulled her through the snow, heading further and further into the woods. 

The door to the cabin burst open and three men stepped inside. The group around the table looked up startled. 

"Agent Mulder. How interesting that you should be here." The Cigarette Smoking Man nodded a greeting to them all. 

"Bastard. I should have known you would have something to do with this." Mulder lunged at the man but Hobbes and Darien held him back. 

"Nice of you to bring some friends as well. Where are they Agent Mulder? Where did Alex take Magdalena?" 

"They're gone, Spender. You and your alien friends can go home." Mulder told him. 

He turned to one of the men behind him. "Take the others and comb the woods. I'm sure they haven't gone far." 

The forest around them suddenly came to life. Light streamed in from all angles and there were voices drifting toward them. Alex pulled Maggie into the shadow of a tree as he looked around. 

"Damn it." He said under his breath. 

"We're not going to make it, are we, Alex?" She whispered to him. 

Alex turned and looked at her. "We will. There's no other option. Come on." He took off and she followed him close behind, ducking into the shadows. Maggie used her powers to swirl the snow around them, creating a barrier so they wouldn't be seen. An alien appeared in the woods behind them and Alex sped up. 

"Shit." Another one appeared before them and he was forced to come to a stop. Maggie tripped at the sudden stop and their snow wall dissolved. 

"Sir, we've found them." A dark suited man holding a cell phone stepped out from behind the trees. He was joined by several aliens, who surrounded Alex and Maggie. "Krycek, give us the girl." 

Alex held on to Maggie tightly. She stood back to back with him, one hand gripping his, the other aiming the gun at the men around them. "Over my dead body." 

"We can arrange that." 

"NO!" Maggie put her hand up as the aliens advanced, stopping them in their tracks. "No one is dying over me." 

"All of that depends on you, Magdalena." The smoking man stepped out of shadows. He looked around at the aliens struggling against the invisible wall. "Even you have limits, child. What happens when you can no longer sustain this?" 

"Go to hell, old man." Alex took the gun from Maggie when her arm began to shake. Her eyes were already glowing brightly. Leaning down so his mouth was against her ear, he whispered, "How long can you keep them back?" 

"Maybe another five, ten minutes. Less if they don't stop struggling against it." She whispered back. 

The group at the cabin watched their alien guards warily. Hobbes locked eyes with Darien, silently communicating his idea and Darien nodded slightly. Hobbes fell out of his chair a minute later, writhing on the floor. While all the aliens were watching Hobbes, Darien quicksilvered and disappeared from sight. 

Mulder, who had been sitting next to Darien, jumped up. "What the hell?" 

Claire and Scully were on the floor next to Hobbes, trying to prevent him from hurting himself during the seizure. 

The aliens became confused watching all that was going on. Darien snuck up behind one of them with the ice pick like weapon Alex had given him and stabbed it in the back of the neck like he'd been shown. It fell to the floor. 

The other aliens noticed their compatriot and started to round up the humans. They realized one of them was missing and began to get agitated. Another of the aliens fell and Mulder finally attacked, taking down the third. Hobbes stopped writhing and sat up, brushing himself off as he stood up. Claire and Scully watched him in disbelief. 

He looked at the women and shrugged. "Misdirection. Oldest trick in the book." 

"Nice job Hobbes." Darien reappeared next to Mulder, causing him to jump again. 

"How do you do that?" He demanded. 

Darien laughed. "It's complicated. Claire'll explain it when this is all over. Right now, let's go find Maggie." 

"Do you have to drop the shield to hit 'em?" Alex asked. Maggie's eyes were alarmingly green and she was leaning heavily against him, his prosthetic arm around her waist. 

She nodded. "I'm not going to be able to keep this up for much longer. Are you ready?" 

"As I'll ever be, _devotchka_." 

"Okay. Here goes nothing." Maggie reached out as wide as possible with her mind. She touched the alien presence and forced her way in, tearing a path through the collective mind. She could feel hundreds of minds screaming as she pushed her way in to the very core. 

"Maddie? Maddie?" Alex watched the aliens fall. Maggie was staring off into the sky, not hearing his voice. 

Realizing that colonization was literally dying in front of him, the smoking man crept back into the forest. 

"Going somewhere, Spender?" A gun cocked next to his ear and he turned slowly. Mulder held his gun aimed at the smoking man's head. 

He dropped his cigarette in the snow and stepped on it. "Agent Mulder. You finally get what you've worked so hard for. The end of the alien threat. And it seems, the end of me." 

Darien and Hobbes rushed into the clearing and found Alex was calling to Maggie. Her eyes were glowing, casting off a green light onto the snow around her. Blood dripped from her nose, falling in dark spots to the snow under them. Claire and Scully skidded to a halt next to them, watching Maggie. Scully finally tore her eyes from the young woman and looked around for her partner. 

"Where's Mulder?" 

Maggie could feel the alien presence growing weaker and weaker. Her body felt lighter as the aliens died. The screaming had stopped a few minutes ago and she enjoyed the silence, letting her mind drift through the emptiness. 

Mulder felt his finger tightening on the trigger. 

Spender watched him with feigned disinterest. "Are you going to do it? Pull the trigger, Agent Mulder. End my reign." 

"Shut up." Mulder growled. 

"Can't do it, can you? You can't just kill me, shoot me down in cold blood." Spender taunted him. 

"Don't push me." 

"A coward. Just like your father." 

Everyone but Maggie jumped when the gunshot echoed through the forest. A stricken look passed over Scully's face before she took off into the woods looking for her partner. 

"Maddie?" Alex caught her awkwardly as she collapsed. He laid her down on the snow-covered ground and looked up at Claire. "What's happening?" 

Claire rushed to Maggie's side, checking her pulse and breathing. "She's dying." She looked up at Darien, who fell to his knees on the ground. "We've got to get her out of here. Get her to a hospital." 

"The closest one is at least 100 miles from here." Alex told her. 

Without words, Darien scooped up Maggie and headed back toward the cabin. Hobbes and Alex were close on his heels as he ran through the snow. Claire ran just behind them, on the phone with the closest hospital. 

"A helicopter is going to meet us at the base of the mountain to take Maggie to Peace Hospital in Great Falls." She yelled as they came up to the cabin. Hobbes jumped in the drivers seat. Darien and Claire climbed into the back. 

"I'll stay here. Let them know where you're going." Alex told them before slamming the back door of the SUV. Hobbes nodded and started the vehicle, heading down the mountain. 

Scully found Mulder heading toward the cabin. He was still holding his gun and had a dazed look on his face. 

"Mulder? Are you hurt?" Scully made him stop while she looked him over. 

He shook his head. "I killed him." 

"Who? Krycek?" 

"Spender." He looked down at Scully as if seeing her for the first time. "Scully, he's gone. He can't hurt you anymore." 

"Maggie's dying." They both turned and saw Alex standing by a tree. "They took her to Peace Hospital in Great Falls." 

"Why didn't you go with them?" Scully asked. 

"Didn't want to leave you out here wondering where we went. Want a ride?" Alex looked very young, hunched into his ever-present leather jacket. His green eyes were wounded, showing scars long hidden from the world. 

Mulder nodded and climbed into the back of the SUV with Scully. Alex got into the drivers seat and started the car. He turned back to the FBI agents before driving away. 

"Spender's dead isn't he?" Again, Mulder nodded. "Good. I always hated him." He turned back around and started down the mountain. 

Darien and Hobbes ran into the Emergency room waiting area, desperate for any information about Maggie. They found Claire huddled in a chair, her eyes red. 

"Claire?" Darien's lip trembled in anticipation of the bad news. She looked up startled. 

"I didn't think you'd be here so quickly." She said softly. 

"How is she?" Darien demanded. 

"She died twice on the way here. Right now she's in a coma and the doctors aren't optimistic." She told them honestly. 

"Can we see her?" Hobbes asked. 

Claire nodded. "She's in ICU. I'll take you up." 

As they were waiting for the elevator, the other agents arrived. Mulder and Scully rushed over the group, leaving Alex alone. Darien saw him standing by the door and ran toward him. 

"You! This is all your fault." He growled as he threw 

Alex against the wall. "If you had just left her alone from the start, she wouldn't be in a coma." He hit Alex across the jaw before Mulder and Hobbes pulled him back. 

"He's not worth it Fawkes." Hobbes muttered, glaring at Alex. 

"You don't understand. If it hadn't been me, it would have been someone else. Someone who doesn't care about her like I do. She would have been dead a long time ago if I had left her alone." Alex spat out at him. "I just want to see her." 

Darien shook his head but Mulder nodded. "Alright. Five minutes then get out and don't come back." 

The ride up in the elevator was uncomfortably tense. Claire got off first and went in search of the doctor. The small group waited in the lounge, Alex standing away from them. 

"Alright Alex. Let's go." Claire waved for him to come forward. "She's in here. There's been no response from her since they resuscitated her the second time." 

He nodded and stepped into the glass room. Maggie looked so small in the hospital bed, tubes and wires connecting her to the machines helping her live. A tube down her throat helped her breathe. He pulled a chair over to the bed and sat down, holding her hand, careful of the IV. 

"_Milaya_, I know you can hear me. I didn't know this was going to happen. William never told me any of this." He sighed. "The Smoking Man is dead. Mulder killed him. So you really are free." 

"I've only got five minutes before Mulder and Fawkes come in here and haul me out into the street to shoot me. They blame me for what happened and rightfully so. But they don't understand what we were dealing with. That if it hadn't been me, it would have been someone else. Once the syndicate get's an idea in its collective head, they don't let go for anything." 

"And they don't understand that I love you Maddie. That I would do anything to keep you safe. I would trade places with you, give up my life so that you would be awake and okay again." He stood up and leaned over, kissing her forehead. "Get well, _devotchka_. Come back to us. _Ya tebya lublu, moya krasavista. Dosvedanya._" He kissed her again before straightening up and turning to leave. 

Claire was standing in the doorway. She looked at the ground, feeling as if she was witnessing something very private. He gave her a half smile before pushing past her into the hallway. 

"Alex?" She called to him. 

He turned back to her. "Yeah?" 

"You did your best. I don't think any of us could have saved her." She felt an odd need to reassure him. 

He nodded. "Thank you." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper. "I know I can't ever see her again, but if you could call this number and let me know how she's doing," He held out the paper to her as he trailed off. 

She took the slip and tucked it into her pocket. "I will." 

"Thank you." 

"Claire." 

"Thank you, Claire." 

"Good bye, Alex." 

Hearing was the first sense to come back to her. Small noises, the rattling of a blind being drawn, the steady beep of the monitors, rustling as the nurses moved around her, voices talking around her and to her. Soon after that was smell. She smelled cotton and plastic, familiar, yet subtle cologne and under it all, the sterile antiseptic hospital smell. 

Some time later, her body came back to her. She could feel the crisp sheets, the soft cotton hospital gown, pain in her head, pain where the IV needle entered her skin and pain in her throat. She could feel a warm hand holding hers. She could taste something hard and plastic in her mouth. 

Maggie struggled to open her eyes and wake up. Something kept pulling her back down into the darkness. She clawed her way up, clinging to the hand holding hers. Her eyes fluttered open and the last of her senses came back to her. The white ceiling tiles came into focus and she blinked several times. 

"Don't try to talk Maggie. The doctors put a tube down your throat to help you breathe." Claire's face appeared in her field of vision. 

Darien ran back into the room, breathless. "He's on his way." 

The doctor appeared a few moments later, a nurse close on his heels. "You're awake, Miss Rourke. Excellent. Let's get that tube out of you." 

A few minutes later, Maggie was slowly sipping water through a straw. She was sitting up, several blankets tucked around her to keep her warm. 

"How're you feeling Miss Rourke?" The doctor asked, checking her vitals. 

"Tired." Her voice was hoarse and her throat was sore from the intubation tube. 

The doctor smiled. "I can imagine so. I want to run a few tests, keep you here for observation. You were very lucky." He nodded to the other agents around her before leaving. 

Darien leaned down and kissed Maggie softly on her chapped lips. "Don't you ever do that to me again." 

She nodded. "Did we stop them?" 

"Yeah, Princess. We did. Mulder even got the smoking man." 

"Good. Where are they?" She noticed the FBI agents were absent from the group in her room. 

"They had to go back to DC when we transferred you here." Claire told her. 

Maggie looked confused. "Where are we? How long was I out?" 

"Two weeks, Princess. Claire had you moved to Fort Leavitt." Darien rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. 

"Two weeks?" 

"You died twice while they were transporting you to the hospital in Great Falls. The doctors didn't think you were going to come out of the coma." His eyes were sad brown pools. 

Claire went into the hallway, leaving the pair alone. She let the door fall shut behind them and headed to the nearest phone to call the Official. 

"Do you know what happened?" Darien settled into a chair next to her bed, still holding her hand. 

"I think I got trapped. While the aliens were dying, I should have been able to separate my mind from theirs but I couldn't. Something trapped me inside." 

"If they died, they were taking you with them." 

"I think so." She looked around the salmon colored hospital room. "When can I get out of here?" 

He laughed. "You heard the doctor." 

"Okay. Can I at least get a chapstick?" She pouted. 

He laughed. "Sure Princess." 

"Knock, knock." Hobbes pushed the door open. "Can I come in?" 

Maggie smiled when she saw the giant teddy bear he was carrying. "Of course Bobby." 

He set the bear on a chair in the corner and leaned over to kiss Maggie on the cheek. "How're you feeling kitten?" 

"Tired and sore. That for me?" She gestured at the bear. 

He smiled. "Of course. What'd you think I brought it for Fawkes? When're they going to let you out of here?" 

"The doctor said he want to do some more tests." She reached out for the cup of water and misjudged the distance, knocking the cup over. "Oh, damn it." Maggie struggled to sit up and wipe up the water but Hobbes and Darien brushed her hands away. 

"We'll get it Mags." Darien told her. They wiped up the water and Darien went to get the pitcher refilled. 

"Bobby, did you wear Alex's skin to his funeral?" Maggie asked with a sleepy smile. 

He laughed. "No. We let him go. Fawkes gave him another couple bruises on the way out though." 

"Poor Alex." She commented softly. "How's Misha?" 

"We dropped him off at Eberts' when we came up here. The cat seemed happy enough." 

Darien pushed open the door to the room, carrying the pitcher. Claire followed behind him. 

"The Official said he was happy to hear you were felling better and Eberts said Misha misses you. He sits at the front door meowing." Claire relayed her messages to Maggie before coming to stand next to Hobbes. "The doctor said he's going to schedule some neurological tests for tomorrow. If everything comes back fine, you be discharged to my care the next day." 

Maggie nodded. "Okay." 

"We've got to go into the office for an hour or two but I'll come back for dinner, 'kay Princess?" Darien rubbed his knuckles over her pale cheek. 

"Sure. I'll see you later." 

She waved as they left her room and turned on the TV, flipping aimlessly through the channels. 

True to his word, when Maggie's tests came back all right, the doctor released her into Claire's care. Maggie was sitting on the edge of her bed waiting to be released. She had put on her jeans but had to wait until her IV was removed before she could take off her hospital gown and put on a shirt. 

"If that nurse doesn't get in here soon, I'm going to pull out this IV myself." Maggie muttered to Claire. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Miss Rourke." Jenni, the morning nurse breezed into the room. She smiled patronizingly at Maggie before fiddling with the almost empty units of liquid on the hanger. "We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." 

"If you'd just take this out, I can go and you won't have to worry your pretty head about whether or not I hurt myself." Maggie's voice was laced with venom. In two days Maggie and Jenni had managed to make lifetime enemies of each other. 

Claire stepped forward. "Can you please stop this childishness and just take out the bloody IV so we can go home?" 

Jenni glared at Claire and set to pulling out the IV. She withdrew the needle and pressed a piece of cotton over the spot. A strip of tape held the cotton in place and she was done. 

"Ow." Maggie gritted her teeth as she pulled out the needle. 

Jenni patted the tape down. "All done. The doctor will come see you in a few minutes. Then you're free to go." She turned and left the room. 

As soon as she was out of sight, Maggie stuck out her tongue. "Bitch." 

"Very mature Maggie." Claire sighed. "I think you've been around Darien too long." 

"Sorry Claire. That woman just irks me." Maggie pulled her t-shirt over her head, glad to finally be dressed. 

"Who, Nurse Jenni?" Darien appeared in the doorway, pushing Hobbes in a wheelchair. "Your chariot awaits, m'lady." He looked down and tipped the chair so Hobbes would get up. 

"Yeah. She took out my IV." She held up her bandaged hand. 

"Ouch." Darien winced in sympathy. 

The doctor came in, holding a chart. "Okay, Miss Rourke. Looks like you're all ready to go. I've given instructions to Dr. Morgan as well as a few prescriptions in case you have any vertigo or nausea. If you start feeling unwell in anyway, get back to the hospital. Sometimes neurological problems can mask themselves." 

"Okay, thank you." She signed the forms he held out to her before sliding off the bed and sitting in the wheelchair. 

"You're welcome, Miss Rourke. Get lots of rest and you'll be feeling right again in no time." He smiled and shook her hand before leaving the room. 

Darien leaned over and looked Maggie in the eye. 

"Ready to go?" 

"Absolutely. Let's get out of here before that torturer decided I need an enema or something." They laughed as Darien pushed her down the hallway to the exit. When they got outside, Maggie realized she had left the bear back in her room. "Oh, my bear." 

"I'll get it." Claire dashed back into the hospital and up to Maggie's room. The room hadn't been cleaned yet and the bear was still sitting in the chair by the window. "There you are, Mr. Bear." She folded the instructions and put them in her jacket pocket so she could pick up the bear. When she reached inside, she felt a folded piece of paper. Claire pulled it out and opened it, reading an international phone number on the page. 

After a moments debate, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number. 

"_Privet_?" A heavily accented woman's voice answered the phone. 

"Hello? I was looking for Alex." Claire leaned back against the windowsill. 

After a moment, a younger sounding but no less accented voice asked, "Who is this?" 

She sighed. "My name is Claire. I have news about Maggie." 

"Oh, _da_. I get him." The girl on the other end dropped the phone and Claire heard her shout, "Alexei, phone!" 

Rapid Russian was heard on the other line before a male voice answered, out of breath. "_Da_?" 

"Alex, it's Claire." 

"Maddie woke up?" He sounded relieved. 

Claire smiled at the joy in his voice. "Yes, a few days ago. She was released from the hospital this morning." 

"So she's okay?" 

"She seems to be. We won't know if there were any long-term effects for a while though." 

Alex was quiet. Finally she heard him sigh. "Okay. Thanks for calling, Claire." 

"You're welcome, Alex. Good bye." 

"_Dosvedanya_." 

She hung up the cell phone and picked up the bear, heading outside. The three agents were waiting by the car, watching her as she came out. 

"Hey Claire, what took so long?" Darien asked as he helped Maggie into the back. 

She smiled. "They had started cleaning the room. I had to find a nurse to get Mr. Bear." She handed the bear to Maggie and climbed in next to her. "Let's go home." 

All three agents nodded in agreement. Hobbes started the car and drove away from the hospital. 


End file.
